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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29786652">Everything's Changed</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/pikablob/pseuds/pikablob'>pikablob</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Runaway Hilda AU [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hilda (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Emotional Hurt, Gen, Hilda isn't coping, Loneliness, Runaway Hilda AU, Running Away, Twig tries his best</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 02:55:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,398</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29786652</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/pikablob/pseuds/pikablob</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Months after running away from home, Hilda celebrates her eleventh birthday with only Twig for company.</p><p>[Set in my <a href="https://cinnamon-sparrow-scout.tumblr.com/post/640826479387852800/the-runaway-hilda-au-ive-mentioned-this-a-couple">Runaway Hilda AU</a>, but you don't need to read anything else to understand this.]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hilda &amp; Twig (Hilda)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Runaway Hilda AU [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2233965</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Everything's Changed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a companion fic to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30138990">Nothing's The Same</a>, and takes place between chapters 4 and 5 of <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29020464/chapters/71227164">The 5+1 Runaway Hilda AU</a>, but you don't need to have read those first.</p><p>Recommended Songs: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyRnyIMbkWU&amp;list=PLt2iv23quT9se1i-QAb-L8uHX6s9B8YEn&amp;index=2">Dead End Road</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FE8vwh56e4&amp;list=PLt2iv23quT9se1i-QAb-L8uHX6s9B8YEn&amp;index=6">Wishing Well</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF2HaPzzGm8&amp;list=PLt2iv23quT9se1i-QAb-L8uHX6s9B8YEn&amp;index=27">In Memoriam</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4fH_SIWNG4&amp;list=PLt2iv23quT9se1i-QAb-L8uHX6s9B8YEn&amp;index=4">Glory Bound</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Keeping track of the date in the wilderness was a difficult thing, Hilda had learned. She hadn’t taken a clock the night she had run away from home, and while she could tell the seasons’ change easy enough, the trees couldn’t tell her the months or the days. So she had made a habit of asking people she ran into, questioning hikers and campers and passers-by, and that was how she knew it had been roughly nine months since she had bid her life in the city goodbye.</p><p>In that time she had travelled far and wide; she had watched the birds migrating over the Valley of the Four Regents, picked through the ruins of Fort Oaken and its amber walls, and ventured far enough north to see the stony sides of the mighty Tannhäuser Mountains rising in the distance. She had been back near Trolberg plenty of times too, but never inside.</p><p>But today she wasn’t near the city, and she wasn’t exploring some far-flung corner of the wilds either. Instead Hilda was hurrying through familiar trees, past streams and rocks she used to know well. Because today was a special day.</p><p>She came to a stop as her destination came into view. Just ahead the trees gave way to open ground, the grass dotted with clusters of tiny houses. Under the rainy sky the Northern Elf Counties stretched out before her, and right in the middle of it all was a familiar pile of twisted wood and metal, half-buried under moss and dirt. In a way, she was home.</p><p>Hilda sighed, looking over the dreary scene. There were no elves about; the rain was light by human standards, but even a few droplets can be dangerous when you’re that small, so they had all no doubt run for cover. At least she didn’t have to worry about stepping on anyone, she reasoned, walking slowly out of the trees and pulling up her jacket’s hood. Twig followed, trotting along at her heels.</p><p>The drizzle didn’t help her mood as she crossed the grass, coming to a stop just in front of the ruins of the old cabin. There wasn’t much left of it now, even more so than when she’d come through looking for Twig last year. Mildew and rot covered what was left of the beams, while the pipes and nails were red with rust. Soon it would be little more than a small rise in the land, with only her and the elves able to attest it had ever been there.</p><p>“Do you know what today is, boy?” she broke the silence, looking down at Twig. She knew he probably didn’t know the answer, and even if he did he couldn’t tell her, but she liked to talk to him anyway. He just tilted his head, confusion in his beady eyes.</p><p>She let out another sigh, unable to ignore the pang in her chest. “Today’s my birthday.”</p><p>There it was: the reason why today was going to be hard. Her eleventh birthday should have been a celebration, a day spent with friends and family, but she didn’t really have either of those anymore. David and Frida and her mum were all back in Trolberg, better off without her, and she was alone except for Twig.</p><p>She couldn’t help thinking back to her last birthday, her first and only in Trolberg. David and Frida had come round and her mum had baked a big pie, and then an even bigger cake, and they had all sat down together for birthday dinner. They’d ended up playing the best game of Dragon Panic she could remember, long into the night; even Alfur and Tontu had joined in.</p><p>Hilda felt a lump form in her throat at the memory, the corners of her eyes stinging; why couldn’t today have been like that? Why did she have to be here, in the dreary countryside, staring at the bones of her old life?</p><p>Because she couldn’t live in Trolberg anymore, she reminded herself. Her thoughts turned sour as more memories rose up; the lies, the arguments, the unfair groundings. She’d had to run away, despite how much she missed her home. She couldn’t go back to a mum who didn’t love her for who she was.</p><p>Tears started to blur her vision as she looked back over the ruins. Things had been so much simpler when she’d lived here. Back then she could roam as much as she wanted, and if she climbed into a strange hole or stayed near a troll rock until after dark, mum would sigh and hug her tightly and make her promise to be more careful, and Hilda would try.</p><p>But then they’d moved to the city, and over the months those hugs had given way to stern words and looks of worry and disappointment. She hadn’t even noticed it at first, but over time she’d had to hide more and more of her adventures. When had everything changed? When had who she was become a bad person?</p><p>She knelt down on the grass, more tears running down her face. She felt Twig climb into her lap, whimpering sympathetically, and then the soft wet feeling of his tongue licking the tears from her cheeks. She couldn’t help hugging him close, burying her face in his white fur.</p><p>“I bet they’re happier without me,” she sniffled. Twig yapped softly. “I mean it; Mum doesn’t have to worry about me, and I’m not dragging David and Frida into adventures.” More concerned noises, more urgent than before. “I know I’m a bad friend and a bad daughter and I’m just bad all round but I do miss them.”</p><p>Twig yapped again, squirming in her arms and licking at her face again. “At least you don’t think I’m bad, right?” she asked softly. He let out another noise, and slowly she felt the pain inside begin to fade. She opened her eyes, rubbing away the lingering tears.</p><p>Her gaze met the tiny black eyes of her companion. There was definite concern in his expression; he let out another yap, glancing between her tear-stained face and the ruined house, then tilted his head questioningly.</p><p>“Why are we here?” she asked softly. He uncocked his head. “I just wanted to reminisce, I guess; I thought it would help me feel better. I suppose that was a mistake.”</p><p>Understanding replaced the concern in his eyes. She couldn’t be sure that he got the full meaning, but she was sure he understood. And for a moment she thought he was going to lick her face again. Instead he suddenly wriggled out of her grasp, bounding off towards the ruin.</p><p>“Twig?!” Hilda scrambled to her feet just as he disappeared into a tiny gap in the wreckage. She stepped forwards, worry spiking. She wanted to follow him, but she had no idea if there was a way in she could fit through.</p><p>She barely had time to search before there was a creak of wood and suddenly Twig popped out of the top of the rubble. He scampered down the wet wood, back to her feet, something held tightly in his jaws. “Boy? What’s going on?”</p><p>He dropped his find gently on the grass: a broken picture frame. Behind the shattered glass was an old photograph, showing her and her mum sitting together on the old sofa. Her mum had one arm around Hilda, both smiling happily, and Twig, even smaller than he was now, was perched on the girl’s lap.</p><p>“It’s us,” she said quietly, bending down to pick it up. She didn’t have any photos of the happier times; in truth, she didn’t have any at all. Maybe being able to see her mum’s face, to remind herself, would make Hilda miss her mother less? Deep down, she desperately hoped that would work.</p><p>“Thanks, boy,” she said softly, kneeling down and gently pressing her forehead against his. He understood, leaning into the touch. “It really does mean a lot that I have you.”</p><p>He whimpered in agreement, then slowly pulled back. She met his gaze for a moment, before her eyes fell on the photograph again. “I guess this is my present this year, huh, boy?” He didn’t reply.</p><p>“Well, happy birthday to me, I suppose.” And with that, she pulled him tightly into a hug. At least they still had each other.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks so, so much to <a href="https://airborneice.tumblr.com/">airborneneice on tumblr</a> who made this amazing art for this fic!!</p><p>
  
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